Resident says Unitil crews destroyed flower garden

A South Portland woman wants answers after Unitil, the local natural gas company, destroyed her flower garden and installed large protective barriers around a newly installed gas meter near her driveway.

"These posts were planted in my yard by Unitil to protect their gas meter. Apparently they will be planting them in everyone's yard where they feel there is a threat of the meter coming in contact with a moving object. I was given examples of everything from a lawnmower to a snow plow. I have a huge issue with Unitil and the Maine Public Utilities Commission having the right to destroy my property on a whim," said Margaret Lyons, who lives on Broadway.

"Hundreds of dollars' worth of perennials were killed in the making of this eyesore," Lyons added.

Unitil's spokesman said the meter guards are required by the Public Utilities Commission and a supervisor was sent out Thursday to meet with Lyons regarding the garden.

As for the protective barriers, Unitil said they are needed to prevent any incidents that might arise if a large vehicle were to make contact with the meter.

"The leading cause of natural gas leaks is damage to infrastructure from third parties such as contractors or plows, and the chief purpose of meter protection posts are as a proactive public safety measure to keep such leaks from occurring," Alec O'Meara, Unitil spokesperson.

Lyons said the Maine PUC is looking at her case and will rule on whether the barriers are needed.

A WOMAN IN SOUTH PORTLAND SAYS A GAS COMPANY RUINED HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF FLOWERS. SHE SAYS SHE RECENTLY DISCOVERED "UNITIL" INSTALLED POLES IN HER GARDEN. THE GAS COMPANY CONTENDS IT'S ABOUT SAFETY. W-M-T-W NEWS 8'S JIM KEITHLEY IS LIVE IN SOUTH PORTLAND WITH SOME OTHER CONCERNS. WE'RE IN THE PARKING LOT OF BULL MOOSE STORE -- HERE YOU SEE THE GAS METER, AND THESE PROTECTIVE POLES OR SAFETY BARRIERS.. YOU USUALLY SEE THIS IN A PARKING LOT OF A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS WHERE CARS AND SNOW PLOWS MIGHT COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE METER ...BUT... IN THE MIDDLE OF A FLOWER GARDEN?? "What, what's that going to protect? You know? NOT ONLY ARE THE POLES LOOSE, MARAGART LYONS SAYS THEY'RE UGLY SAYS. LYONS IS ANGRY WITH UNITIL, THE LOCAL GAS COMPANY, FOR SHE SAYS DESTROYING THE ASTHETICS OF HER HOME AND HER FLOWER GARDEN. NOW HER ANGER HAS TURNED TO WORRY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE METER. "I'm more upset about the meter than the barriers at this point. I feel like the bigger thing is- that is a ticking time bomb. And when I come out and look at it regardless of these things are here even though they don't technically protect it in my opinion - that is my concern now." UNITIL DISPUTES THE NOTION THESE GAS METERS ARE TICKING TIME BOMBS - THE COMPANY SAYS THE "METER PROTECTION POSTS" ARE REQUIRED BY THE "PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION" IN ALL AREAS WHERE THERE IS A THREAT OF A METER COMING IN CONTACT WITH A MOVING OBJECT. A COMPANY SPOKESMAN SAID THIS: "The leading cause of natural gas leaks is damage to infrastructure from third parties such as contractors or plows, and the chief purpose of meter protection posts are as a proactive public safety measure to keep such leaks from occurring." Alec O'Meara, Unitil Spokesperson NOT ALL METERS NEED PROTECTION - HERE YOU SEE A METER TUCKED ON THE SIDE ON A HOME -- NO BARRIER REQUIRED. ANOTHER METER, NO WHERE NEAR A DRIVEWAY - STILL LYONS IS UPSET SHE LOST HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS' WORTH OF PERENNIALS - "UNITIL" SENT OVER A SUPERVISOR AND OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE DONE TO HER FLOWER BED. "It's not that I want anything, it's the bigger question of, am I safe, is this not a big deal, have these poles been put in arbitrarily, who decides?" LYONS SAYS HER CASE IS NOW UNDER INVESTIGATION BY P- CASE IS NOW UNDER INVESTIGATION BY P- U-C. THERE WILL BE A RULING WHETHER HER BARRIERS ARE TRULY NEEDED. IF THE RULING IS NOT IN HER FAVOR - SHE CAN APPEAL. LIVE IN SOUTH PORTLAND JIM KEITHLEY WMTW NEWS 8.

Hillary Clinton's office said "nothing nefarious was at play" when the former secretary of state used her personal email address, rather than one provided by the State Department, during her four years as America's top diplomat.